WTA Chennai Open: Montgomery ends Maaya Rajeshwaran's run in quarters

Robin Montgomery snapped Maaya Rajeshwaran's memorable run at the WTA 250 Chennai Open, defeating the Indian wildcard 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals on Friday and ending India's singles challenge at the SDAT Stadium in Nungambakkam. The 22-year-old American overcame a slow start to beat the 17-year-old from Coimbatore, who had entered the match ranked 669th in the world.

Why it matters

Maaya became the first Indian woman to reach the last-eight stage of a Tour-level event since Sania Mirza in Pattaya City in 2012.

Hindustan Times noted that only Shikha Uberoi in Kolkata in 2005 had reached this far at a WTA 250 event since the format's introduction in 1990. Maaya had beaten two higher-ranked opponents en route, 115th-ranked Katarzyna Kawa and world No. 277 Weronika Falkowska.

At 669 currently, she is set to rise around 180 spots to a new career-high when the updated rankings are published on Monday.

Match details

Montgomery, a left-hander ranked 151st and formerly World No. 95, started slowly but found her rhythm.

Maaya got the early break in the fifth game of the opener courtesy a netted backhand from Montgomery, but could not consolidate as she failed to find a first serve while 15-30 down. Montgomery converted her first opportunity to restore parity.

Maaya also let the eighth game slip after being 40-30 up and committed two double faults before being broken again. Montgomery served out the first set. In the second set, Montgomery earned a double break advantage at 4-1.

After Maaya retrieved one break back, Montgomery held quickly for a 5-3 lead and finished with a crosscourt backhand winner to break the Indian for the third time in the set.

Maaya committed five double faults in the contest, while Montgomery's tricky lefty serve, especially out wide, caused problems and averaged above 180km/h.

What happens next

Montgomery will face top-seeded Indonesian and reigning champion Janice Tjen in the semifinals. Tjen recorded a come-from-behind 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 win over Russian-born Uzbek Polina Kudermetova in a match briefly suspended due to a passing shower.

In doubles, Vaishnavi Adkar and Rutuja Bhosale kept the Indian challenge alive with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Montgomery and Great Britain's Jodie Burrage, moving into the semifinals.

However, Maaya and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty lost 3-6, 4-6 to Isabelle Haverlag of the Netherlands and Hungary's Panna Udvardy in a last-eight clash.

By the numbers

Maaya is ranked 669th and is set to jump around 180 spots to a new career-high. She won her first professional title last month, an ITF W35 event in Lagos, after moving from the Rafa Nadal Academy to the Elite Tennis Centre in Cannes.

Montgomery is ranked 151st and is a 2019 Orange Bowl champion who has made the second round at the French Open and Wimbledon.

The Chennai Open is the third edition of the tournament and part of the 2026 WTA Tour in the 250 category, played on outdoor hardcourts. It is the last edition before the event is relocated to Manila in 2027.

Quarterfinal results at the WTA Chennai Open

Related on Apex Sports News

• Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi Makes History At Chennai Open

• WTA Chennai Open: Maaya and Vaishnavi post maiden victories on Tour

• Jodie Burrage receives death threats after Chennai Open first-round defeat

Sources

• The Hindu

• Hindustan Times

• Photo: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)